Untouchable Love
by lonely little liar
Summary: After his final kill, Sweeney drags himself up to the shop, covered in blood. As he sits in his chair, thinking of what he'll do next, a black haired girl knocks on the door to retrieve her master's coat. Will Sweeney kill again? Please read and review
1. Untouchable Love

Mr. Todd sat alone carefully contemplating what he would do now that Mrs. Lovett was gone and he'd accomplished the only thing he'd lived for. He was now alone…Tired… and resting in the chair where so many men had met their fates, including the dishonorable Judge Turpin. He looked out the window with his bloody razor still in hand as it dripped rubies to the floor. He would wipe the blood off his face when the thrill of the kill was gone. Just then, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He quickly and stiffly rose from his chair and walked to the door, prepared to kill again. He opened the door, revealing his bloody face to a girl who was around sixteen years old with pitch black hair that flowed to her waist. She wore a tight, black dress and Sweeney could tell she was wearing a corset from the way her breasts were pushed up rather seductively. "Can I help you?" Sweeney choked out, pushing the girl in the room and slamming the door.

"Oh my, sir… I'm very sorry; I didn't mean to disturb you." The small girl mumbled, she only came up to around the middle of Sweeney's chest and he was finding it hard to hear her.

"Speak up, child!" He yelled, grabbing her chin.

"I won't tell anyone what I've seen! I promise. Just please let me go." The girl muttered, raising her head as she started to cry.

"I don't trust people anymore, what makes you any different?"

"I swear, sir… my…master sent me up here to retrieve a coat he left here a few days ago when he came for a shave with his wife and daughter." Ah, Sweeney remembered him well. He couldn't kill the man in front of his family so he was often referred to as 'the one that got away'. Sweeney thought for a moment then released the girl's chin and handed her the man's jacket.

"Don't speak a word of this to anyone… not even your master, you hear?"

"Yes, sir." The girl muttered, still crying a bit.

"Go on, return to the man." He led her to the door and allowed her to leave. She rushed off, wiping her tears away so that it wouldn't be obvious that she had been frightened.

"Ah, Estella!" The man said as the young girl returned to his home. "It's about time you got here. What took you so long?"

"I had a nice little chat with the barber," Estella mumbled, dashing for the stairs so that she may return to her room and forget this night through a long rest.

"Ah, Ah, Ah…" The man said, grabbing hold of Estella's wrist and pushing her against the wall, leaning in close. "You know, my wife and daughter are off visiting with my mother in law." He whispered, his breath tarnished in alcohol.

"Please sir, not again!" Estella said, pulling away from the man. He slammed her against the wall once more, stifling her screams with his lips.

Sweeney lay motionless in his bed that he'd made in his shop. He thought of nothing but the young, beautiful girl that had walked into his shop earlier and he had freed. Across town, he could hear a terrible shrill sound of a terrified woman. _She must be getting raped…_ Sweeney thought sadly. _I wonder if that's what my dear Lucy sounded like when she-_ A tear escaped his eye and he got up from bed and looked outside at the grave he had dug for his wife earlier that night. He snarled at the thought of what Judge Turpin had done, but his anger was silenced when he thought of the sweet vengeance he had received. Lucy was at rest. Johanna was with Anthony and safe. It was time for him to move on from the life he'd been obsessed with for all those years. He got dressed and decided to take a walk down the streets.

Estella laid still as her master slept in the other room, leaving her dirty and covered in his sweat and saliva from where he'd wallowed on top of her like a pig in mud. She couldn't move; paralyzed by the thoughts of what he'd done to her yet again. Sometimes, she wished he would die. After overcoming her feelings, she stood and put on her corset and ripped dress and stumbled out the door, her mascara stained across her face and her lipstick smudged into a permanent pretend smile. Once she was far enough away from her master's home she stuttered and cried out loudly, "HELP!" She started to sob in the cold streets and dropped to her knees. No respectable person would deal with her affairs so most of the night dwellers just passed her by, silently accusing her of insanity. "Oh God! Please HELP ME!" She covered her face hoping someone…anyone would rescue her before Mr. Bennett caught her in the dirt covered roads.

Just then, like an angel from heaven, Mr. Todd appeared, kneeling to her side and touching her shoulder stiffly. Oh, how long it'd been since he'd felt the smooth caress of a woman's skin. "What's wrong? What is it girl? Speak!" Sweeney said, holding her shoulder and shaking her a bit.

"He- Him! He ra-rape- raped me." Estella said, trembling from the cold and fear.

Sweeney touched her cheek and turned her face gently so that it was facing his own. He looked at her with gentle eyes and said, rather worriedly, "Who?"

"M-My master! M-Mr. Bennett." She was still sobbing loudly. It was then that Mr. Todd noticed that he was holding the black haired girl that had appeared in his shop earlier.

"What's your name?"

"E-Estella."

"Shh… be quiet, dear. We wouldn't want him to hear you, would we?" _That bastard,_ he thought, _I knew I should have killed him when I had the chance._ He, instead of seeking revenge this time, picked the girl up and carried her to his shop. He laid her on his makeshift bed and told her to get some rest.

She, who was still sobbing quietly, grabbed his arm and mumbled to him, "P-Please, don't leave me alone… I don't want to be alone." Sweeney's heart melted a bit and he lay next to her on the bed.

"I won't leave you alone, darling." Until she fell asleep, he kept his distance from her, only stroking her back as she started to drift off. _Poor thing,_ he thought, as he looked at the damaged little girl, _she feels safer with a killer than with her own master… pity. _ She shifted in her sleep mumbled something desperate under her breath. "Shhh…" Sweeney whispered gently, "I'm right here."

Estella woke up in the morning her head pounding and she was in a bit of confusion as to where she was. "Hello?" She mumbled quietly, hoping someone might answer her quiet call. Fortunately, Sweeney walked in the door with a cup of tea in his hand.

"Good morning." He said his voice a bit cold. He handed her the hot tea and she gently sipped it.

"Thank you." Estella replied. She looked at her torn dress and sighed. "I'm terribly sorry I've been so much trouble. I'll leave soon, I promise."

"Don't worry about it."

"But, sir I have no money to-"

"DON'T worry about it…" Todd said, a bit uneasy.

"Yes sir." She muttered. She took orders well. Sweeney liked that. He sat on the side of the bed with her, hands in his lap, trying to be proper. "Did I scream?"

"What?"

"Last night… did I scream?"

"Not really… just a bit of muttering here and there." Sweeney replied.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you, sir."

"The names Todd. Sweeney Todd."

"Well, Master Todd." Estella said, looking up at him with her tired, cobalt eyes, "I thank you kindly for rescuing me last night…I'm forever in your debt."

"Well," Sweeney replied, "You can start by assisting me in packing my things. We're headed to Peru to escape the law…Miss…?"

"Feira… Estella Feira." She said, quickly standing and doing as she was told. Sweeney really liked the way she responded. Much unlike Mrs. Lovett who, although she had splendid ideas, disagreed with most the things he said. She had all his things packed in an hour. The entire time she begged him not to help or lift a finger and told him that she'd do it all herself. They boarded a ship to Peru that afternoon and arrived there a month later. Sweeney's relationship with Estella had matured on the ship. He'd told her he had a daughter once and the entire gory tale about Judge Turpin and his vengeance on the man. Estella didn't flinch once while this tale was being told but instead, recognized Sweeney as a hero of sorts.

They got off the ship and found a small stretch of lofts that reminded Sweeney much of his old home in London. They rented one out and Estella was busy unpacking Sweeney's things when she noticed a small kitten meander into their home. "Hello, kitty." Estella said, kneeling down and petting the calico cat on its head. It rubbed against her and purred softly. "Mr. Todd…" Estella said, picking up the kitten and wandering into his room with it. He was there, unpacking a dress that he'd found of Lucy's in their old home. He was thinking of giving it to Estella to wear.

"Yes, Estella?"

"Look what wandered in." She held the kitten up by the scruff of its neck and smiled coyly. She was afraid that Mr. Todd would refuse her if she asked him to keep it.

"I see… and what are you doing with that vermin in my house?" Sweeney said, mumbling a bit to keep from smiling. Estella's childlike nature bewildered him in a way.

"Can't we keep him?" Estella asked quietly with very little hope.

"As long as you're the one to feed him, I don't mind." Sweeney said. Estella's eyes brightened a bit and she held the cat close. "What's his name?"

"I think I'll name him…" She thought for a moment. "Zachariah."

"Any particular reason, dear?"

"I've just always fancied the name."

"Go wash up now, it's time for dinner." Sweeney said, folding the dress up and setting it aside, his thoughts still impending on the subject. Estella set the cat down and fed it a bit of meat that she'd had left over from cooking dinner and set the table, serving Sweeney a delicious platter of glazed ham, mashed potatoes, and greens with buttered rolls on the side. She set a glass of gin in front of him after that. "The occasion?" Sweeney said, with a slight grin playing off his face.

"To our home." Estella said, raising her glass that was full of only water. She thought it'd be disrespectful to drink Mr. T's gin. Sweeney nodded and raised his own glass, shortly before sipping it and starting to eat his own food. The table was quiet for a while, then Estella looked up at Mr. Todd with a shy expression and mumbled, "Mr. Todd… I have a riddle for you."

"Let's hear it, then."

She cleared her voice then said quietly, "It is greater than God and more evil than the devil. The poor have it, the rich need it and if you eat it you'll die. What is it?"

Todd thought for a long while then gave up. "I don't know… what is it?"

"Nothing."

"What?"

"Nothing is greater than God. Nothing is more evil that the devil. The poor have nothing and the rich need nothing and if you eat nothing, you'll die."

Todd was silent for a moment. Then he chuckled. It had been the first time he'd laughed in quite some time. Estella, after having finished her food, gathered the plates and set them on the counter so that she may wash them in the morning. Mr. Todd told her goodnight and went to bed, and she walked to bed by herself, her cat following her closely.

As Zachariah slept soundly at the foot of her bed, Estella found herself incredibly frightened in the dark alone. She stood, indecent and quiet, and tiptoed to Mr. Todd's room and knocked quietly. Mr. Todd woke up out of instinct and mumbled quietly, "Come in."

Estella walked into the room. "M-Mr. Todd… I'm sorry for my indecency. But…I'm scared."

"Scared?"

"I don't like being alone in the dark."

"Ah, well… you can…" Todd thought for a moment then scooted over in his bed, "Sleep in here with me… if you'd like."

"Yes sir." Estella said, lying in bed next to Mr. Todd. She turned with her back against him and laid still. Mr. Todd, facing her back, reached up and caressed her back like he'd done the night he'd saved her. She flinched and Todd frowned.

"I frightened you…"

"No… No Mr. Todd, you ju-"

"I DID!" He shouted, angry at her for lying to him. The angst he had felt before returned for a moment. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her over so that she'd look in his eyes.

"Don't hurt me…" She mumbled, pressing her body closer to the mattress.

"I…won't…" Sweeney said, calming down a bit. "I'm sorry…"

"It's alright." Estella said, turning over and touching his cheek. Lucy used to show affection like this. He kissed her forehead then gently moved down to her lips. Before the reality even set in of what exactly they were doing, they were both laying naked on the bed, Mr. Todd holding Estella close to his chest. He had been gentle with her. She'd never made love willingly before and she found herself growing more and more fond of Mr. Todd by each heartbeat that passed. They fell asleep that way, entangled in the sheets.

A few weeks later, Estella went confronted Todd as he was sitting the foyer reading a book. She was wearing Lucy's dress that he'd given to her. It was blue with lacey white trim. "Sweeney…" Estella said, just as shy as she'd been before.

"Yes, dear?"

"I have to tell you something…"

"What is it, love?"

"I'm…" She cleared her voice a bit. "Pregnant."

Sweeney dropped his book and rushed to her, holding her tightly. They'd made love every night since the first time and now the consequences… rather, rewards… were taking effect. As he held her tightly, he whispered in her ear, "What are we to name it?"

"I don't even know if it's a girl or boy" Estella giggled.

"If it's a girl… I'd like to name her…Lucille…"

"And if it's a boy?"

"Zachariah."

They both grinned and sat down, chatting excitedly about their new life.


	2. I love you too

"Estella! Remove your disgusting little feline from my room at once!" Mr. Todd yelled, stressed that times were so hard in his household because money was low. With a baby on the way, he'd have to find a job at a barber shop close to the town they were in. With that being the case, would he be able to control himself holding a straight razor in his hand once more? Zachariah, the cat that Estella had invited in their home three months ago was now rubbing his body against him, interrupting his thoughts. "Estella! _Now!_" Todd snarled. Estella walked into his room, holding her bloated stomach as she walked. Even being as pregnant as she was, she was still graceful and as beautiful as ever. Sweeney often ignored this fact.

"What's wrong, Master Todd?"

"Didn't you hear me? I _said _get this flea infested cat out of my room." Estella did as she was told and set the calico kitten outside, knowing he'd come back to the door as soon as he was done roaming. She walked back to Mr. T's room and sat on the edge of the bed with him as he thought deeply. She carefully touched his hand. He pulled away, rather viciously and looked at her with anger filled eyes.

"Master Todd…" Estella began, resting her hands back in her lap. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to annoy you; I'll just be out of your hair now, sir."

She stood and started to glide out of the room when Mr. Todd called out, "Estella."

"Yes, sir?" She turned, and looked at him with intent eyes.

"I'm sorry I've been so rash with you recently… I've just been under a bit of stress, what with our child on the way and me having no source of income." His eyes didn't leave the wall opposite of him.

"Mr. Todd…" Estella whispered, walking toward him slowly. She sat by him again then looked at him with sorrowful eyes, kneeling by his feet. She rested her head on his knees and he sighed a bit. "You'll come through… You always find some way to bring us out of these situations." He set his hand on her head, gently tucking locks of her ebony hair behind her ears.

"I don't know about this time, Estella." Mr. Todd said, holding back the anger he'd had before.

"I'm sorry to have caused you all this trouble." Estella said, closing her eyes sadly.

Sweeney grabbed her hair in his hand and tugged on it, gritting his teeth as he spoke, "It's _not_ you!" His past was slowly creeping up on him and the angst that he'd built up against Turpin all those years was permanently scarred into his mind. He'd never rid himself of the sudden extreme anger that built up whenever the slightest thing pissed him off.

"Yes, Sir." Estella spoke as a tear escaped her eye. Sweeney's hand, cold and violently pulling at her hair, pulled her up by her scalp and glared at her.

"And don't you kneel to my feet like that! You know I hate it."

"I'm sorry, sir… I was only trying to comfort you." He looked into her frightened eyes, still holding her by the back of her head. His grip loosened a bit and his shoulders relaxed. After kissing her forehead, he walked out of the room, leaving Estella, quivering alone. She sat on the bed crying quietly.

_What am I to do?_ Sweeney thought, pacing the foyer floor, _I can't maintain a family with no job… but what if-_

"Master Todd." Estella said, coming out from his room with her head hung low. Her face was stained from the acidic tears.

"Yes, Estella?"

"Maybe… Maybe it'd be best if I leave…" She mumbled quietly.

"No!" Todd growled, walking toward her in another fit of rage. He slammed her back against the wall, outraged by what she'd said. "Why do you want to leave? WHY! Is it because I can't provide for you!"

"No! No! Not at all!" She said with more stinging tears breaking through her dammed up eyes. "Sweeney…" She placed her quivering hand on his cheek, hoping to relieve his anger like she'd done so many times before. "I don't like angering you."

"Then why do you insist on doing so?"

"I don't mean to."

"I…" His voice lowered and he rested his heated forehead against hers. His shoulders settled a bit although his arms were still rested on either side of her head, attached to the wall. "I love you, Estella."

"I lo-" He cut her off by kissing her lips with unimaginable fervor. He lifted the young girl into his weakening arms bridal style and commenced carrying her off. "Where are we going?"

"My chambers." He mumbled. He opened the door and laid her gently on the bed. After reaching into a chest that he had on the other side of the room, he walked over to Estella and laid on top of her, kissing her still.

"Mr. Todd?... I'm…we might… hurt the baby." She said, gasping between his passionate kisses. He got up from the bed and looked at her with hurt in his eyes. She hadn't noticed, but while he was distracting her with his love, he'd taken pieces of strong thick cloth that had been in the chest across the room and tied her hands to the copper head board on the bed. "Sweeney?" She mumbled, confused as to why he'd done this to her.

"Don't leave." He said in a peculiar melancholy tone. He left the room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

Estella lay still in her new prison. She regretted ever bringing up the point of leaving. She knew she'd never do it anyway. She tugged at the cloth a bit but it was no use. It was too strong for her to break. She was only a little afraid. Sweeney, she knew, would feed her and wash her body with a cloth and care for her as long as she was tied up but what about the child? She couldn't get help if she was tied to a bed and Mr. Todd was a barber, not a doctor. The biggest worry on her mind was not getting free. It wasn't whether she would get food or help for her labor pains when they arrived… it was who would let Nathaniel in from the streets tonight. She rested her head on the pillow and looked to her left at the door behind which Mr. Todd had disappeared and whispered. "I love you too…"


	3. The Baby

Two months after being tied to the bed in Sweeney's chamber, Estella found that she could no longer feel the baby roll in her stomach or kick her every so often. As she became increasingly worried, she would call Mr. Todd in the room more and more frequently, never telling him what was the matter but asking for the comfort of his rough touch and sullen kiss. He left the house a lot more often. Locking every door and window before he left to make sure that Estella didn't get loose and wander off. After getting a job at a local barber shop, he'd been receiving enough money to put away for the arrival of their child.

One day, while he was out, Estella, still tied to the bed with her black hair in a mess and sweat dripping down her chin, was trying to break loose from her prison. She was feeling nauseated and, afraid that she would throw up on the bed or herself, she wanted to get loose, just for a moment so that she could relieve her stomach. She'd then return to bed and attempt to tie herself back up before Mr. Todd came home. She tugged at the fabric as hard as she could but to no avail. Luckily, Mr. T returned home just a half an hour later. "Master Todd!" Estella called out when she heard the door in the foyer unlock.

Todd rolled his eyes and walked into his chambers after unlocking that door as well. "What is it?"

"Could you please let me up?" Estella asked, crying a bit.

"Why?" He muttered, a bit annoyed. He stared into Estella's fear filled eyes, searching for her answer with a straight face as he removed his leather jacket and fingerless gloves.

"My stomach is aching."

"It's bound to, you being pregnant and all, dear." Sweeney crossed the room and sat on the end of the bed, the wood floor creaking under him with each labored step.

"Well, if you'd allow me to stand sir, I'd like to… relieve it?" She mumbled, feeling herself grow more and more queasy.

"Alright." He stood once more and started untying the tight cloth from her wrists. He put his cold hand on her shoulder and escorted her to the wash room. There, he picked up an old, rusty bucket and held her hair back as she vomited into it. There seemed to be a problem though. Most of the vomit was actually water and blood. Estella looked up at him with a pale face and coughed a bit. Mr. Todd poured her a glass of water, added salt to it and placed it in her hand so that she may rinse out her mouth. He then picked up the bucket and looked at her gently. "Don't you go anywhere. I'll be right back."

"Yes, sir." Estella mumbled. As he left to empty the bucket outside, he locked the door. Estella found a comb that she had in the vanity and started combing through her hair. It was so tangled from neglect that in snagged on the comb quite a few times and even broke off a few teeth. In time, her mouth was clean, her hair was silky and straight again and she looked a bit more like herself. Sweeney came back and found Estella holding her stomach as she stood still in the wash room.

"Come now; let's get you back into bed."

"Please don't tie me up again, Master Todd."

"It's for your own good."

"But Master To-"

"HUSH!" He grabbed her by the back of the hair like he'd done before and looked at her with the same angry, vicious eyes. "It's for your own good!" He repeated, a bit more aggressively.

"Yes, sir" Estella choked out, her aqua eyes filling to the brim with tears again. "The cloth just hurts my hands is all… and my arms get awfully sore. I just want to relax in your arms once more."

Sweeney's eyes softened a bit and he relaxed his hand, letting it slide from her head down her back and finally letting it rest on her waist. He'd realized that perhaps tying her to his bedpost was not the most proper way to keep her in his company but it may have been the only way. He was afraid that young Estella, being only sixteen and so beautiful and innocent, was using him for a source of comfort and that only. After all, what woman, especially one as virtuous and sweet as Estella, would want to build a life with a man who was twenty two years older than she? He didn't want to be left alone again so of course binding her in his chambers seemed the only option. _What if I ask her to promise me- no! I've heard promises before… they never last. Someone always lies in them. _Mr. Todd thought, his hand still resting on Estella's waist. "Estella…" Sweeney mumbled, not looking in her direction, "Why are you here?"

"Because I love you," Estella said, turning her curious eyes to him.

"Do you?" Mr. Todd said, pacing away from her, still not facing her. He wandered around the room for a moment then looked up at her with his tired, hurt eyes. "Why waste your life away on a man who's old enough to be your father? You could leave this place and be with anyone you'd like."

"None of them would treat me like you… and none of them would be as good a father." Estella said. She walked slowly to Mr. Todd then looked at him gently. "You can bind me back to your bed again, sir. I won't speak another word of it."

"No." Sweeney said simply. He stood motionless, looking out the window of their loft at the stars above. After a moment he turned to Estella and smiled only a little. "Shall we retire then?" Estella nodded and walked with him as he led her to the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and started to take off his shoes.

"May I?" Estella asked, kneeling by his feet. Sweeney nodded. Her hands gently tugged at his shoe strings and, after they were unlaced, she pulled off his shiny black dress shoes. She placed them neatly to the side then went back over to him and sat beside him on the bed. As he took off his vest and button up shirt, she removed her dress and attempted to remove her corset.

Mr. Todd, after noticing her fingers fumbling with the lacing on her back, raised his hand slightly and mumbled, "May I?"

"Yes, sir." She turned and faced her back toward him, moving her silky black hair out of the way. He, with shaking fingers, unlaced her corset, licking and biting his lip in a fit of concentration. She then sighed a bit as it released its hold on her. Soon she was wearing nothing but her under dressings. Todd unbuckled his belt and climbed into bed wearing long johns (which Estella thought he looked rather silly in). He wrapped his right arm around her, as she lay with her back facing him, and pulled her close to his chest. She turned over and burrowed her head under his chin and breathed lightly as she listened to his heartbeat. "Mr. Todd," Estella said quietly.

"Yes, Estella?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Not tying me to the bed again… I enjoy sleeping like this much more."

"Just please don't leave."

"I won't." She closed her eyes and started to drift to sleep as Mr. Todd did the same.

Estella, disturbed by some unknown tapping on the foyer entrance, woke up at three in the morning. She meandered down the hallway and into the foyer to investigate, hoping that Sweeney wouldn't wake up from his much needed sleep. She walked back into their room after noticing that the noise was coming from outside the house. She pulled a coat over her under dressings and walked outside with bare feet and into the cold, winter air. Her feet touched the snow covered deck, causing them to sting a bit. "Hello?" She whispered gently. She stood on the deck for a moment, looking down the stairs at what could have possibly made the noise. Just then, Zachariah rubbed against her bare leg and released a low, scratchy mew. She jumped a bit then kneeled down to pick up the cat. "You scared me to death, you naughty thing." Estella said, kneeling with him in her arms. She stood holding him with her back faced to the door leading into her home. "We're you the one making all that noise then, eh?" She grinned and turned to take him inside with her but was stopped when she almost ran into Mr. Todd, who was standing at the door with a furious glare plastered on his face. Estella dropped Zachariah, who ran into the house and found shelter under Mr. Todd's bed. "Oh, goodness me!" Estella said resting her right hand on her pale chest and feeling her heart pound under her skin as if it were trying to escape. "I'm dreadfully sorry Mr. Todd, you just scared me is all."

"You were trying to leave," Sweeney mumbled, walking out into the cold morning air of winter, fully dressed. He must have thought Estella would be half way across town by the time he'd gotten out there so he dressed quickly to insure he wouldn't embarrass himself while he searched for her. The deck made a cracking noise as he stepped on to it, advancing toward Estella.

"No, sir… I was only coming out here to-"

"TO LEAVE!" Todd grabbed Estella's wrist and pushed her against the railing of the deck, looking angrily into her eyes.

"Please… Mr. Todd, let me explain."

"Explain…?" Todd spat, lowering his voice. Mrs. Lovett had tried to explain her actions as well… the similarity between both situations? Everyone lies. He grabbed her neck and crushed her windpipe. She gasped quietly under his strength but never once tried to pull away. "LIAR!" Sweeney yelled. He, with full force, threw her down the wooden stairs of their loft and watched as she maladroitly crashed down them. Her head bouncing off each wooden board soon landed with a thud on the concrete below her. Sweeney walked back into their home and slammed the door behind him, the angst still building up in him. _What if I've made a huge mistake… what if it was all a dreadful misunderstanding? _Sweeney thought, his face softening a bit. _No! She lied to me… just like Mrs. Lovett. She even tried to pass it off as a misunderstanding. She's just like her. _

"SWEENEY!" Estella called from outside. The scream was bloodcurdling and she sounded like she was dealing with an immense amount of pain. He shoved his feelings aside, but not completely, as he shuffled to the door and slowly looked out it. Estella was there at the bottom of the stairs, lying in a puddle of blood. "It hurts!" She sobbed loudly, hoping to gain his pity.

"Good." Sweeney mumbled. He turned to walk back inside, but she screamed again.

"NO! NO! IT'S THE BABY! MR. TODD… THE BABY'S COMING!"


	4. Good for Something

Todd stumbled down the stairs, almost falling himself a couple of times, and soon reached Estella at the bottom. "Come on now," He said, lifting her and carrying her back up to the loft. His weary bones shook under her as he carried his pregnant mistress up the stairs. "Shall I call a doctor?"

"N-No!" Estella panted, still moaning in agony. "There's no time!" Sweeney set her on the bed and looked at her, worried and confused as to what he should do. "G-Go get some towels and a bucket of water, please." Sweeney stepped to it, walking briskly through the house gathering the materials he would need to help Estella bring their new child into the world. After throwing the towels on the floor at the foot of the bed and getting a pail of water, he walked into the room and stared at Estella who was still crying out in pain.

"Wh… What am I to do?"

"I'll need your h- " her sentence was interrupted by a few moans of pain that she could not swallow. "Oh God in heaven help me!" She sobbed. Mr. Todd, afraid his mistress was losing her sense of priority, removed her dress and knickers from her body and kneeled by the foot of the bed, rolling up his sleeves.

He looked up at her with frightened and unsure eyes then took a deep breath and mumbled weakly, "Estella…" She looked at him between her bare legs, still writhing in pain. "I need you to be still and… when I count to three… push as hard as you can, alright?"

"I'm going to die master Todd!" Estella screamed, with a face flooded from her tears.

"I wouldn't let that happen, you know that… one…"

"Master Todd… I can't!"

"…Two…"

"Sweeney, I-"

"Three!" Estella pushed as hard as she could, bunching the blankets around her in her fists and screaming. Sweeney almost fainted at the sight. He'd seen more blood and gore than anyone on the face of this planet, but God in heaven this was too much for him to bear. He looked away for a moment then thought of Estella and petted her leg. "Once more… on three." He said, kissing her ankle. "One…"

"Just get this monster out of me!"

"…Two…"

"Sweeney!"

"Three!" Estella tried pushing harder, her stomach still feeling as if it would burst from the inside. Sweeney was back to his old habits of biting and licking his lips again, trying to gain concentration. "Estella!" He stuttered.

"What? What is it!" She cried, afraid something was wrong.

"I—I can see hair."

"Yes, yes, Sweeney… I understand you're a barber and hair fascinates you but could we get on with this!" Estella panted.

Any other time, Sweeney would have back handed her across the mouth for speaking to him that way, but, seeing as how she was in labor, he let it go and again said, "One…"

"Ahhhhh hurry."

"Two…" He slid his hands around the slippery mass that was his unborn child.

"Mr. Todd!"

"THREE!" Estella screamed then held her breath and pushed hard. Before Mr. Todd knew it, he was holding a baby girl in his hands, washing her still body in water.

"Shouldn't it be crying?" Estella said, looking at her master with an exhausted stare. Sweeney held her for a moment in his shaking arms and thought of the worst.

"I've… I've killed her."

"What?"

"When I pushed you down the stairs…. She must've been born too early… I've killed our little girl, Estella."

"Shhh… now dear," Estella said, worriedly holding her arms out. "May I see her Mr. Todd?" Sweeney willingly handed her their cold daughter and turned his back and closed his eyes, ashamed of what he'd done. He pictured Johanna in his mind for just a moment and remembered what it was like when she'd been brought into this cruel world. She cried loudly… so did he. The sound of her sobs were now as clear as a bell. He opened his eyes and turned to hear the all too clear sounds of a bellowing infant.

"Could it be?" Sweeney said, walking over toward the bed where Estella laid, holding their crying baby girl in her arms. She opened her eyes and looked up at Sweeney with tears blocking her view.

"Sh-She's alright, Master Todd." Estella choked out, coddling her baby close to her. "She's okay."

Mr. Todd reached for her then pulled away when Estella offered her to him. "I… can't." He mumbled.

"Why?"

"I've never… held a child before…"

"What about Johanna?" Estella asked, pulling her daughter back to her as Sweeney reached for a towel and handed it to her to wrap her up in.

"Her mother held her… always… " Todd mumbled. He sighed and kissed his sleeping daughter's head then mumbled, "Her name is Lucille… right?"

"Yes, sir… We can call her Lucy… if you'd like."

A single tear filled his eye and he smiled. "I-I'd like that."

"Come here…" Mr. Todd looked at her confusedly as she started to sit up in bed weakly.

"Rest… Rest your bones, dear… you're in no condition to be movi-"

"Please Mr. Todd." Estella said, after sitting upright in bed. Sweeney walked over to her and stood before her, still a bit confused.

"What is it?"

"Hold out your arms."

"What?"

"I want you to hold her."

"Hold her? No I can't! I'll hurt her."

"No, Mr. Todd… I trust you… please." He held his arms out awkwardly then, with her body far away from him, held little Lucy in his hands awkwardly.

"What do I do?" Sweeney asked innocently, still virgin to the whole situation.

"Place her head in the crease of your arm and her bottom in your hand." Sweeney did so, fumbling and shaking a bit, but, eventually, Lucy was rested gently in her father's arms, sleeping soundly. He sat on the bed with her, not daring to move his arms. "See there? You're a natural." Estella beamed, kissing the side of his forehead. "Now… I suppose I should feed her…. But I'm awfully tired." Estella mumbled. She coughed a bit and looked at her hand in horror. Knowing that Sweeney hadn't noticed, she wiped her hand on the underside of the blanket, and then held out her arms. "I'll feed her then get some rest if you don't mind, Master Todd."

"Of course," Sweeney mumbled, still in shock that he'd been holding his very own daughter. He carefully handed her off to Estella then shuffled toward the door. "I'll leave you to it then… I'm just going to go and see how much meat we have in the pantry, dear."

"Yes, sir." Estella said, looking down at Lucy. After Sweeney left the room with a gentle smirk frozen on his face, Estella fed her baby and laid her beside her to sleep, then went to bed herself.

"Damn." Sweeney growled after noticing there was no meat left in their home. "I've already spent all of this week's pay… What am I to do? I have to feed my wife and I-" He stopped talking to himself when he got a dreadful idea. "Ah…" He sneered when he saw Estella's cat tip toe through the kitchen. _Perhaps Mrs .Lovett WAS good for something._ Sweeney thought. He picked up the cat and walked down the stairs.

After dreaming a delightful dream of her master and getting dressed, Estella emerged from her room, after hearing dreadful groans coming from down stairs. She, at first, thought it was little Lucy who was still sleeping soundly on the bed beside her. "Mr. Todd?" Estella called out, walking cautiously into the kitchen. He wasn't there. "Sweeney… are you alright?"

"Just fine." Sweeney said, walking out from the bedroom on the other side of the loft. Estella jumped a bit then looked at Sweeney with a curious expression.

"Mr. Todd… you're bleeding." Estella said, advancing toward him and wiping the blood from his face.

"Must've cut myself." Sweeney mumbled, looking down at her.

"Doing what?"

"I-… I've made Lucy a bed." Estella's eyes lit up and she rushed across the house and into the bedroom that used to belong to her. Inside rested a bassinette and next to that was a crib made of oak.

"Mr. Todd…"

"I'm not much of a carpenter," Todd interrupted. His mind flared back to the day he'd made the death trap out of the chair but quickly recovered from the vivid memory. "and I couldn't afford much for her, but I-"

"Thank you so much, Master Todd." Estella said, wrapping her arms around Sweeney's waist.

He smiled a bit then mumbled to her, "Would you like something to eat?"

"Yes, please." Estella said, following him into the kitchen. "Did you find some meat in the pantry?"

"Oh… It was just… lying around." Sweeney said. He pulled a chair out for her then, after she'd been seated, sat across from her. "Did you feed Lucy?"

"Yes, sir… That reminds me," Estella looked around the kitchen floor after taking a bite of the meat pie that was lying before her. "Have you seen Zachariah? I haven't fed him all day."


	5. Hush Little Baby!

Sweeney, now resting in bed with his eyes glued to the ceiling, listened to Estella sing to Lucy in the foyer. Her beautiful lullabies had made their daughter stop crying and she was probably almost asleep as Estella sang in her ear _Rock a bye baby on the tree top… when the wind blows the cradle will rock. _Shortly before Lucy had started crying, Sweeney and Estella shared a delicious dinner of homemade meat pies and Estella inquired the whereabouts of her missing kitten, Zachariah. Lucy interrupted her questioning. After Mr. Todd cleaned the dishes and Estella fed Lucy and tried to convince her to quiet down, Mr. Todd set a bowl of leftover meat pie on the stoop, telling his mistress that if Zachariah got hungry, he could eat the rest of that until they caught him and returned him inside. Estella's singing soon stopped and Sweeney looked in the direction of the door, his head still angled toward the ceiling. "Master Todd," Estella said quietly as she walked into the room with empty arms. "You awake?"

"Yes," Sweeney mumbled, looking at the ceiling once more. "Where's Lucy?"

"Asleep in her crib."

"Alone?" Sweeney asked, turning his head and looking at his mistress.

"Yes, sir… but if it's any consolation, she seems to fancy her crib very well, Mr. Todd." He grinned a bit. Estella slid out of her dress and walked over to Mr. Todd just as indecent as she had been the night that she'd come to him first. She lay in bed beside him, already seeming a bit thinner than she'd been when Lucy had rested inside her. "Oh, Mr. Todd." She mumbled gently as she scooted closer to him.

"What is it, dear?" Sweeney said, just a quiet.

"I've got everything I could ever ask for, Mr. Todd…everything." She scooted closer to him then kissed his jaw line gently.

"Estella, you're in no condition to…"

"Well, perhaps not **everything.**" Estella whispered in Sweeney's ear. He, in turn, with a ravenous expression covering his face, rolled atop her and kissed her vigorously. He broke away from the kiss then looked at her with the same dull expression as before.

"What is it that you don't have?" Sweeney asked, holding her gently.

"Marriage to a fine man," Estella beamed.

"When I find one I'll let you know."

"Oh, Mr. Todd." Estella giggled, kissing the tip of Sweeney's nose. "You know I wouldn't have anyone but you." He pressed his forehead against hers.

"Stop this."

"What?"

"You aren't in any condition to... Please me." Sweeney mumbled the last bit of his sentence, a bit embarrassed.

"Oh, Master Todd, I only want to make you happy… and if that will make you happy th-"

"Causing you pain will **NOT **make me happy!" Sweeney shouted, getting off of her in one swift movement and heading for the door.

"Where are you headed, sir?" Estella asked, confused and scared that he'd leave her alone with a fatherless child.

"There's a mess that needs my attention in the basement. I'll need to get to it."

"Mr. Todd… the sun's not yet come up… it must be dreadfully early. Please. Come back to bed and I'll clean the mess up at a more decent hour." Estella begged. Instead, Sweeney trotted out the door, headed for the stairs. Estella followed quietly, not once letting her presence behind him known. She watched through a window in the dirty brick wall and saw Mr. Todd sweeping up mounds of calico hair and disposing of the pile in the furnace. She rushed upstairs before he saw her and went to the wash room to relieve her stomach. Her kitten… her poor Zachariah was now digesting in the pit of her stomach. She'd eaten him without a care in the world. How could Mr. Todd be so cruel? He meandered into the loft and heard Estella puking in the wash room. He walked over and held up her hair.

"What's caused this?" Sweeney mumbled in the same uninterested, monotone voice he always had. Estella couldn't force out words without her head swooping toward the bucket once more and a vile liquid pouring out of her mouth. "Estella…?" Sweeney looked in the bucket after seeing crimson stains on her pale face. What he saw was nothing more than a mixture of not much water and a lot of blood. Estella, starting to cry from the thought of what she'd eaten and the taste of the putrid poison spewing from her mouth, looked into the bucket, then looked at Mr. Todd, terribly afraid. Mr. Todd, after she was finished, pulled her toward him and rested her head on his lap as he sat in the floor with her. "What's caused this?" He repeated, moving her hair behind her ear.

"M-My cat." Estella mumbled, still crying.

"What?"

"My cat… Zachariah… you cooked him… you fed me my darling little cat."

Mr. Todd, more worried than mad, stared at her in confusion. "How'd you find that out?"

"I followed you down to the furnace… I know I shouldn't have, Mr. Todd, Please forgive me." Estella said, cringing a bit, waiting for him to clutch her scalp in his coarse hands once more and pull at her hair. "I just wanted to know where you was going."

"Ah…" Sweeney said, looking away. "I'm… sorry." Sweeney mumbled. He found it odd. He could kill countless me with no feeling of remorse or regret but one cat, a single, flea infested feline could make him rue the day he'd ever hauled him to the grinder.

"Why didn't you tell me, Sweeney?" Estella asked, lowering her frantic voice and looking at the ground.

"You wouldn't eat it then." Sweeney mumbled. He kissed the side of her face then stood, resting poor Estella on the floor. "I'm off to find the doctor, dear. I don't care if I've to wake him and carry him here… you need help. Stay still."

"Don't worry about that Mr. Todd… I don't think I could move if I wanted to." Estella mumbled to the floor below her. As Sweeney went out the door and locked it, Estella lay still as she was told, her pain increasing with each second that ticked by. After a few moments, Lucy, who had been sleeping in her bed, cried loudly from the other side of the house.

"No…" Estella mumbled, looking at the door. She tried moving but the pain was too much for her to endure. She looked at the door that now seemed so far away and called to little Lucy. "It's okay!" Each syllable muttered was filled with agony as she spoke loudly, "Mommy's here, Lucy!" She groaned in pain, letting out sobs as she tried to crawl toward the door to reach Lucy. As she tried dragging herself through the house with a trail of blood following as she coughed and spat it from her mouth she called out in a pain filled, horrifying song, "_Hush little baby! Don't you cry… Mommy's gonna…"_


	6. Benjamin Barker

"Mr. Todd?" Estella said, holding a candle in her hand as she shuffled down the hallway. In the darkness of midnight she could see nothing around her, and, as she searched for the doorknob that would allow her entrance into Sweeney's room, she shook with fear. The candle only gave off a little light and she still felt consumed by the opaque blackness around her. She opened the door to find Sweeney in bed reading. "Hello, Mr. Todd." Estella mumbled, setting the candle at the bedside table and blowing it out. It was useless now because Mr. Todd had plenty lit and scattered across the room.

"Estella." Sweeney said, nodding a bit to acknowledge her presence. The nineteen year old girl lay on the bed beside him. She hadn't changed much in the few years that had passed. Her hair, although longer and past her behind, was still black and silky. Her eyes still shone bright blue and her smile would still beam bright when Sweeney whispered little things into her ear to make her happy. She was the same girl who bore Sweeney's now three year old daughter, although her stomach had returned to its originally thin size.

"I just put Lucy to bed," Estella said, laying her head on the pillow below her and covering up in her blanket. "She put up an awful fuss… crying out that she wanted to see you and all that." Estella giggled a bit and looked up at Sweeney's face. He was concentrated on the book he was reading so much so that his face almost seemed a bit peaceful as it's picture flickered in the dim candle light.

"Ah," Sweeney said, still fixated on his book. Estella tilted her head, not satisfied that Mr. Todd wouldn't pay any attention to her. She scooted up to him and burrowed her head under his arm and rested on his chest. He very mechanically removed the arm she'd burrowed under from his book and placed it around her shoulders, not once looking down at her as he read on. "Go to sleep, Dear." Sweeney said, more the print in his book than his wife. Estella sighed, but didn't make a fuss. Instead, she shut her eyes and started to drift off, leaving Sweeney with his own occupations.

"_Hush little baby! Don't you cry! Momma's gonna" I passed out on the floor, holding my stomach in my hands and gasping for air as I screamed. I must have caused little Lucy an awful fright in the opposite room. When I woke up… Mr. Todd was hold Lucy, who was still sobbing and he was crying a bit himself. His knees bounced, trying to get our daughter to silence her fears through the rhythm of his movement. The doctor, a man I'd never met because I never really left the house, was packing up his things that he'd brought to our home in the middle of the night. He told my master that I wouldn't make it through the night and to expect my death to be violent. He left, slamming the door and not realizing I'd risen from my unexpected nap. Sweeney soon saw though and rushed to my side, kissing my forehead and telling me to hold on. I felt a tear drip from his eye and run down the bridge of my nose. I remember him picking me up after he set Lucy in her bassinet as she still screamed. He set me in the bed and I fell asleep once more after coughing up precious crimson blood. I thought I was going to die. Soon, though, with Mr. Todd's help, I slowly recovered. The doctor __later__ found out I had a very bad case of something called pneumonia, which they don't know much about yet. I'm lucky to have survived… but if little Lucy ever caught the disease, she'd suffer for months then pass away, rather violently… Sweeney and I would have to make the decision to put her out of her misery. I, of course, would never let it come to that so I disinfected the entire house and made sure that little Lucy never got ill… My hopes are, she'll still remain healthy._

Estella woke up after having the same dream she'd had since she survived her terrible disease. She was sitting in a pure white room with two black chairs in it. Across from her, was a tall man with a scraggly beard and a peaceful, loving face on him. She'd_ always_ assumed it was his father. Since she held no memories of her father, she liked to think the man she was mumbling to in the little white room was him… that maybe she could tell him the story of how is daughter was a fighter and fought off a deadly disease **and** help save her baby in the process. He'd never really get the gratification of knowing. As for her mother… she was addicted to drugs. She'd pawned her off on one of her friends almost daily. Estella had forgotten the man's name until now. She remembered rather suddenly that it was Benjamin Barker. He kept her off the street for quite some time then disappeared for no apparent reason. _Wonder where he went off to… Ah, what was his wife and daughter's name… that I can't remember… I was still very small when they looked after me._ Estella thought, lying still in the bed. _It's a shame he left though… such a good man… Maybe if he'd still been around, my mother wouldn't have sold me to Mr. Bennett for drug money. I hope he's still alive… I remember talk around town that his wife had tried to poison herself… never learned why though. Their daughter… I wonder what happened to their little girl._ She sat up in bed and looked over at the empty side of the bed where Sweeney had been sleeping. Deciding that he was probably cooking breakfast, she put on her dress and meandered out into the hallway. "Good morning, Master Todd." Estella mumbled tiredly, still thinking about her past. She looked up from rubbing her eyes but then noticed that Mr. Todd wasn't in the kitchen like she'd thought. She then shuffled into Lucy's room.

"…and the baby will sleep with me all the time!" Lucy muttered in an unpracticed jumble of toddler words.

"Ah, no Lucy… The baby would have to sleep with your mother and I until it was old enough to sleep on its own… and then it'd have to sleep in your old bed."

"But that's my bed." Estella watched as her three year old daughter's eyes dropped to the floor in jealousy and her black hair fell from her shoulders and in front of her face.

"Oh, Lucy…" Mr. Todd mumbled, bringing the child to him on his already bended knee. "That old bed doesn't suit you anymore… You're much too old for that bed."

"I'm a big girl!" Lucy mumbled, grinning proudly and looking up at her father.

"Of course you are, love… and that's why we'd have to let the baby have your old bed… you're not a baby, are you Lucy?"

Lucy's grin faded and she nodded, still bent on keeping custody of her crib that she never slept in. She had her own bed by now of course."Yes." She mumbled.

Mr. Todd flashed a quick grin then tickled her. She burst out into a fit of laughter and cringed at his loving touch. "Hush, now…" Mr. Todd mumbled. "You wouldn't want to wake your mother."

"Good morning, Mr. Todd," Estella said, letting her presence in the doorway become known. "What are we talking about in here?" She cooed toward Lucy.

"Father is talking about me having a little brother!" Lucy said excitedly. Mr. Todd looked at the floor for a moment then back up at Estella, rising from his weakened knees.

"Not seriously of course."

"Ah, I see… we'll have to talk this over later then I suppose." Estella said, looking up at Sweeney. "Dear, do you mind running to the store today while you're out for work? I'd like to bake a cake and I need eggs for that, Benjamin-" She stopped this looked away, blushing. "I'm sorry I didn't mean-" Her cheek stung after Sweeney swatted her. That name hit a nerve for him and he didn't like her saying it.

"That is **not** my name!" Sweeney snarled, still angry with Estella.

"Father! Look! Look here!" Lucy piped from the corner. Sweeney, remembering he was in the presence of his child, walked over and looked at the broken doll that she had to show him, ignoring Estella. Estella, her face still stinging from the forceful blow she'd taken from her husband, walked into the wash room to hold a cold cloth to her face and think about what she'd said. "I wish you wouldn't hit mother like that." Lucy mumbled as her father tried to reattach the arm that had busted off her one and only porcelain rag doll.

"She must know her place… same as you." Sweeney mumbled, still concentrated on the doll.

"Yes, sir." Lucy replied. Sweeney soon found that the doll couldn't be fixed so he promised to by Lucy another one and walked into the wash room to check on his wife.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, sir." Estella replied. She soon found that the cherry red hand mark that was stained on her cheek disappeared and she could now remove the rag from her face and wipe her crying eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Why did you call me that?"

"I-" Estella stopped and looked up at Sweeney with eyes begging for forgiveness.

"Go on."

"A long time ago… when I was only a little girl… A man by the name of Benjamin Barker would take care of me while my mother roamed the streets for drugs. I've just been thinking of him a lot recently. I'm sorry, Master Todd."

"Estella…. Estella… Feira?"

"Y-Yes sir?" Estella mumbled, frightened he would strike her again.

"I'm Benjamin Barker."


	7. Mother Knows Best

Estella, shocked that she'd never guessed Mr. Todd's real name, looked up at him in awe. "Master Barker" She muttered, with wide eyes. He walked to her and kneeled by her side. "I should've known… The story you told me on the ship 'ere… it matches up almost identically with what'd happened then. What with leaving your wife and daughter behind. I'd had no idea where you'd gone. Johanna! Your daughter… you said she was around my age. She was still a baby when you left… and Lucy! Your wife…" Estella stopped, fearing that she'd brought up old memories. Mr. Todd stood still, not flinching a bit at the name of his deceased wife who'd long since past. He was still a bit numb from the astonishment of learning his new wife's identity. "I should've known."

"You were just a child then, Estella," Sweeney mumbled, looking at her. "You had no way of remembering." He moved her hair away from her face and looked into her sapphire eyes, trying to see the little girl he'd left behind so many years ago.

_ "Benjamin Barker! You're a half hour late!" A scratchy voice came from the other side of a thick wooden door. The locks rattled for a moment after Benjamin knocked then the entrance opened, revealing a frail looking woman who's skin was turning grey from the drug misuse and as she combed through her graying ebony hair with her long, bony fingers she coughed and invited young Mr. Barker inside. _

_ "Terribly sorry Ma'am." Benjamin replied, bowing a bit before the aged young woman. _

_She scowled and called out in a dry, harsh voice, "ESTELLA!"_

"_Yes, mum?" A little girl, looking much like the woman who Benjamin was previously speaking with (only a lot less petrified), meandered out of her room holding a stuffed cat in her arms that was missing one of its button eyes. _

_She looked up at her mother with a youthful, innocent, and scared expression as the older woman snapped, "Be on your way with Mr. Barker, now! I don't want to hear of you causing any trouble, you hear?" _

"_Yes, mum." Estella mumbled again, flinching a bit after her mother kneeled down to her. _

"_And I mean it."_

"_Oh, she never causes any trouble for Lucy and I…" Benjamin interrupted. He smiled at Estella's mother with great confidence as her daughter walked toward him. He grabbed her hand and told her they'd be on their way and that they'd return at ten o' clock that evening. Once outside the smoke filled home, Benjamin lifted three year old Estella into his arms and smiled. "What are you and I to do today, dear?" He said, looking at her with bright eyes._

"_What 'bout Mrs. Barker and Johanna?" Estella mumbled, clutching her cat in her right arm and wrapping her left around her guardian's neck. _

"_They've decided to stay home today." Benjamin replied. "You look hungry, shall I get you something to eat? I've an idea! Why don't I take you to Mrs. Lovett's and get you a nice pie… then we'll head to the market and get some toffees for the both of us." _

_Estella nodded excitedly. Benjamin walked into his good friend Mrs. Lovett's pie shop and set little Estella on a seat near the door. He walked to the counter and stood, waiting for the owner to come out and assist them. "Ah, good morning Mr. B." Mrs. Lovett said, coming out of the back area in her tiny little shop. "How can I help you?" She'd never seen little Estella before that day. When she looked past Mr. Todd and saw the little blue eyed girl hugging her ratty stuffed toy tightly, she rushed over to her. "And who's this little beauty 'ere?" _

"_This is my…well for time's sake let's call her my ward… It's a bit of a long story." _

"_Ah… so she lives with you then?"_

"_No, No… I care for her most everyday though."_

"_I see… Well what can I get you little girl?"_

"_My name's Estella and I am NOT a little girl! I'm almost this many!" She held up four fingers and glared at Mrs. Lovett who snickered at her rage._

"_Now, Now Estella, is that how we talk to our friends?" Benjamin interrupted, wagging his finger at her. _

"_No sir…" She mumbled… she then looked up at Nellie with a smile and said, "Mr. Benjamin and I would like some meat pies if you don't mind!" _

"_Right away, love." Nellie said, pulling two fresh pies out of the oven. As she set them on the table, an overweight man trudged through the shop, wheezing with each labored step. _

"_Nellie!" He called after he reached the other room and sat in a chair that could be seen clearly through the doorway. Mrs. Lovett sighed and set the food in front of the two and told them it was on the house, then shuffled busily into the other room to tend to Albert, her husband, shutting the door behind her. They ate their food, talking about buttons, Estella's stuffed kitten, then left after saying goodbye to Mrs. Lovett. Benjamin took her to the candy shop in town and bought them both some candies and they spent the rest of the day shuffling around the market and having a grand time. Estella had accidently ran into the town judge and got scolded for doing so by the beadle. She cried of course and, since it was getting late, Benjamin took her home, wiping away her tears. That was the last he ever saw of her._

"Benjamin Barker…" Estella mumbled, touching Sweeney's cheek. A tear rolled onto her hand and she gently wiped it away.

"Please… Estella, don't call me that. Just forget those things… those dreadful memories. Leave them where they need be left. The past." Estella nodded and stood with him as he straightened his vest and dusted off his pants. "I'll be on my way to work then now, dear." Sweeney said, kissing her forehead. He then leaned into her ear and whispered harshly, "I expect dinner to be done when I get home… and I want Lucy clean and ready for dinner, you hear?" She shuddered as the instant flashes of her mother's threats and beatings went through her mind from the sound of Sweeney's voice. "Mark me."

"Yes, sir… I'll have it done this time… I promise." She bid him farewell as he trudged out the door then rubbed her clothed stomach where, underneath the cloth, memories from the last time she hadn't done what he'd asked were permanently drawn to remind her to never forget.

Lucy walked in and looked at her mother, holding a replica of Buttons. She whispered desperately, "Is he gone, mother?"

"Yes, Lucy… He'll be back later this evening."

"I love my father… I do… but-"

"He's not trying to be cruel when he strikes me, Lucy, dear… Now, go on and play… I've a house to clean."

"But mother-"

"On your way, Lucy…" Her daughter turned and walked to her room to play while Estella searched through the cupboard to find her mother's secret to relieving pain.


	8. Here I stand

Three years later, Estella sat at home teaching her now six year old daughter to read, write, and play piano on the grand that Sweeney had bought her a few years back after suggesting that Estella should adopt more feminine pass times. Mr. Todd was out of the house more and more often as the anniversary of Lucy's death drew nearer. He found himself growing more and more angry as the date approached and intended on being out of the house at the time so that he may avoid abusing his wife and daughter for no reason. Estella understood why Mr. Todd hadn't completely moved on from that life… it was fifteen years of angst built up after all. She, however, found the luster of her hair die down slowly and her eyes seemed duller with each visit of her little friend who had helped her through so many beatings. Lucy, her ever growing little girl, had learned to read rather well and speak properly. She stood straight and was as proper as her father forced her to be. She wandered into the foyer to see her mother veiled by the grey breath of the monster who had taken control of her pitiful life. She coughed and looked at her drowsy eyed mother with her own watery eyes. "Mum…" Estella didn't answer. Her daughter's voice seemed a million miles away from her. "Mum… Please, listen to me."

Estella opened her eyes a bit wider as if to clear the haze that her now twenty two year old mind was in. She looked at Lucy and smiled a little, "Y-Yes dear?"

"I'd like to go to Toby's house to play if you don't mind, mum."

"Yes, dear… have fun at Tony's house… Be back before its dark, love. Goodbye… Goodbye… Goodbye." Lucy, of course, was already out the door and dashing down the steps by the time Estella had said the first farewell but Estella's mind, barely catching up with the situation she was presently in, forced her to repeat herself over and over again. A long while after that, which seemed like only seconds to Estella, she stood and put her little friend in the back of the cupboard and hid it behind several miscellaneous items of lesser importance. She could feel herself returning to her drab life that was hers and after the haze retreated, she opened the windows to rid the smell of the smoke and keep her little secret from Mr. Todd who would be returning shortly. "Lucy?" Estella called, not remembering what her daughter had been doing for the last couple of hours.

Across town, Lucy couldn't hear her mother's beckons and was contently playing the piano with her twenty year old friend, Toby. Toby, who'd met Estella many times but always walked away from their meetings coughing from the smoke that shrouded her, didn't know who Lucy's father was… she didn't speak of him much. He just knew that at times, little Lucy needed a place to go to escape her father's rage and he would give her a place to stay as long as she needed. He often remembered a woman who'd taken care of _him_ when he lived in London with a murderous barber, which wasn't so long ago. She was gone now… "Poor Mrs. Lovett" He'd say, mumbling and shaking his head, "Left this world before her time." Lucy would always sit with him quietly as he remembered things about a woman she couldn't dare imagine in her young mind.

"Must've been a real lady," She piped after Toby muttered it this time, hitting the wrong note as he played a song on the piano.

"Yeah…" Toby said quietly. He looked up at Lucy and smiled a bit, "She'd love you, though… You're beautiful." Lucy smiled and accepted the compliment. Toby went back to playing the melody on the piano and said between notes, "You know, Lucy… one of these days, you'll make a fine wife."

"You think so?" Lucy pondered, watching his fingers dance across the ivory keys.

"Course, Lucy… I'd be so lucky to have such a girl now."

"Why don't you?"

"Revenge… I vowed to kill the man who'd done my mum wrong in the cellar that night… after finding her smoldering body, a wandered into the streets, overcome by what'd happened… I promised her, you know?" Toby cleared his throat. "That's neither here nor there… He's fled the country by now. I moved to Peru to find a nice respectable job… but o' course no woman really _wants_ to marry a black smith… But I'll get him back one day… Sweeney Todd… that bastard will pay for what he did." He grinded his teeth a bit then looked at Lucy who was looking at the floor. She couldn't tell Toby that the man he'd vowed to kill however many years ago was her father… she didn't want him dead.

"What's wrong with marrying a blacksmith?" Lucy mumbled to the hardwood below her, changing the topic of conversation.

"Oh nothing… it's just that most good, virtuous women go for the rich men."

"So you're saying my mother isn't good and virtuous?" Lucy asked, lifting her head a bit.

Toby thought a moment and decided against pointing out her mother's obvious flaws, then shook his head saying, "No No No… I'm sure that there are some women, like your mother, who are very virtuous… they just fell into the wrong circumstances when it came to who they married."

"My mother and father love each other…very much… that's why their married! Not because my Mother was pawned off on him." Lucy said, getting a bit angry as she sat up straight on the piano bench.

"Yes well… perhaps that could fall into the category of unfortunate circumstances?" Toby replied, looking at Lucy with loving eyes. He kissed her forehead and grabbed her hand. "Come now, Lucy… its best I take you home." As they headed out the door, Lucy looked at the empty piano seat she was leaving as if she were going off to war and leaving the safety of her home.

Mr. Todd arrived home after the cool of night had extinguished the summer sun. He set his coat on the coat rack by the door and could smell the aroma of fried peppered meat rushing through the house and hear the pop of the grease over the fire in the kitchen. He recognized this smell as his favorite dish; Pork chops. After hearing the door shut in the other room, Estella left the stove unattended and rushed over to her weary husband, wrapping him in a welcoming hug. Sweeney, a bit confused as to why she was so excited to see him, hugged her back reluctantly then looked at her dull, blue eyes. "Hello, Mr. Todd," Estella said, smiling gently.

"Good evening, dear." He walked over to his favorite chair and Estella took off his shoes and put them away then went back to preparing their meal. Mr. Todd found his wife's behavior rather strange and wandered into the kitchen to talk to her.

"How was your day?" Estella asked, serving the meal she'd made onto plates on the table.

"It went rather well…" Sweeney mumbled, sitting at the table. "Where's Lucy?" Estella stopped serving the food for a moment and looked at the table with wide eyes, as if she were searching for an explanation. She couldn't remember where Lucy had run off to but hoped she would return shortly so that she may avoid a lashing from her husband.

"Ah… Lucy… She… well, I'm sure sh-"

"UNGRATEFUL WRETCH!" Sweeney shouted, standing from his chair and back handing Estella across her fragile face. She turned her head and looked at the floor, mouth agape.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Todd."

"Where is my daughter?" He snarled, backing her against the wall with a hand on her throat.

"I… I forgot…"

"Forgetful… uncaring… atrocious… "

He stopped beating his wife's now blood covered head against the wall when he heard the foyer door open and shut and Lucy called out "Mother? Father? I'm home!"

Sweeney rushed to her and knelt in front of her. Hugging her tightly he said, "Lucy, where've you been?"

"At my friend's house, Father." Lucy replied, hugging him back. She seemed a bit confused… hadn't her mother told him where she'd gone?

"Go wash up, dear." Todd said, standing and giving her a gentle nudge in the direction of the wash room. She skipped away to wash her hands and face while her father walked into the kitchen. There he saw poor Estella, sitting on the floor with streams of blood running from her crown and over her eyes. She looked up at her husband, afraid of what he'd do next.

"Why've you had such trouble remembering things?" Sweeney asked in a harsh tone of voice. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "Answer me."

"Please, Mr. Todd, I don't know… Just please let me go back to fixing our food." Sweeney released her and sat at the table, still very angry about the whole situation. "Lucy!"

"Coming, father." She trotted in the room and sat at the dinner table. Estella set the food on the table then sat down herself. "Mother… you're head…" Lucy whispered, afraid that her mother was badly injured.

"I'm alright…"

"But, Mum,"

"I'M ALRIGHT." Estella shouted. Everything was quiet from there. The only sound heard in the kitchen were the sounds of forks hitting plates and food being consumed.

"Lucy, tell me…" Mr. Todd began. Lucy lifted her head and set her fork down.

"Yes, Father?"

"Why does your mother never remember where you are?"

"I would have to guess it was on account of the medicine she takes."

"Medicine?" Estella cringed in her seat, afraid of what her daughter would reveal.

"Yes, sir. She has it in a bag in the back of the pantry… she says it makes her feel better."

Todd looked at Estella then stood quickly from his seat and marched over to the cupboard, his shoes tapping quickly with each step. Estella stood as well and grabbed his arm as he reached for her secret. "Mr. Todd…please… that's just her imagination."

"Unhand me." He mumbled, pulling away viciously. He opened the cupboard and searched behind the random stocks of food they had and found a paper bag stuffed way in the back. He opened it and inside, found Estella's "medicen." Opium… and a lot of it too. "Medicen?" Mr. Todd mumbled, shaking a bit.

"Mr. Todd, I-"

"Medicen!" He threw the bag on the ground, allowing Estella's precious life line to spread across the floor in a grainy mess. "I feed you… clothe you… give you everything you want and you turn to THIS for your comfort? Why did I ever take you as my wife? Lucy was so much better than you'll ever be! I should have left you in the street that night!"

"Why did you take me as your wife?" Estella retorted, "Because you KILLED the one you had before!"

Mr. Todd rushed toward her and slammed her against the wall, staring harshly at her now blood stained face. "Shut your mouth!" He growled quietly.

"Shall I? Or what? You'll kill me as well? **Here I stand!"**


	9. Remembering Forgetful Things

Estella remembered his hands coming toward her… gripping her like a vice and leaving her breathless against the wall. She remembered that vicious, loving look in his eyes that was always there when she took a lashing from him. She remembered slowly dying on the floor as he kicked her and hit her as hard as he could as little Lucy sat screaming in her chair at the vacant dinner table. Then she woke up.

"Estella…" Mr. Todd said, brushing his fingers across her blackened skin. He kissed her as she lay completely still on their bed, wishing she'd forgive him. He wouldn't have ever treated his former wife this way… and she was just as good as any, even if they'd rushed into marriage without knowing each other's real persona. What he was really asking her to do, all through that little kiss, was to forget what'd happened. Forget his hands coming toward her and gripping her like a vice. Forget the vicious, loving look in his eyes. Forget how he'd almost murdered her and left her slowly dying on the floor. She wished she could. It'd seemed that she'd become fluent in his kisses and the way he'd touched her but the opium had affected her mind so much it was increasingly hard to read these actions now. "I love you, Estella…"

Without missing a beat, Estella's eyes flickered over to him and she mumbled, "Do you?" Mr. Todd was a bit shocked by this. He slowly nodded with a confused stare still focused on her.

"Yes," Mr. Todd said, still in utter disbelief of what she'd said, "Yes, of course I do."

"I see… so that's why you beat me like a dog then, eh?" Estella turned, facing her blackened eyes away from him and toward the door.

"I apologize," Sweeney said, holding back anger.

"Do you really mean it though, Mr. Todd…" Estella said, her voice trailing off. "I'm going to leave,"

"What!" Sweeney said, immediately jumping from the bed and kneeling by Estella's broken body, grasping her hands. "No No NO! Estella… I love you."

"Do you?"

"Stop saying that! Of course I do!"

"No… you don't even know me, Mr. Todd…. You may have known me once… a long long time ago but now… we are entirely different people. You do not love me… I was just there when no one else was… You do not love me… I was just… a toy."

"Estella," Mr. Todd said, in a suddenly strict tone. "You are not going to leave me… and you are not a toy. Get up."

"Who do you think you are trying t-"

"Get up, I said!" Mr. Todd said, grabbing Estella by her wrist. He pulled her up and looked in her eyes. Instead of getting the satisfaction of fear that he expected, he saw this fiery look that he'd never seen before. She straightened herself up although she was aching and slapped him, hard across the mouth.

"You will NOT order me around any longer."

Sweeney paused for a moment then chuckled to himself a bit, "Won't I?" Estella's eyes narrowed and she started to walk out the door. He shut it before she could move. "Won't I?" He repeated.

"No!" Estella protested, her hand still rested on the doorknob. "You will not."

Sweeney chuckled to himself. "Fine, Estella… leave… but do tell me," He said, removing his hand from the door and looking at her with his head cocked sharply to the side. "Where will you go?"

"I… I'll go to the law… I'll say you beat me."

"Ah, but, love, the law won't help you."

"Why do you say that?" Estella speculated, removing her own hand from the doorknob and standing straight again.

"It was only out of discipline that I beat you… I've committed no crime."

"That's not fair! If I'd rendered you into this state then they'd put me in a jail… or a mad house one of the two!"

"Estella… dear… women must know their place in society. You seem to have forgotten yours. Would you like me to remind you?" His voice was so calm that it began to frighten Estella. She backed up a bit and shook her head. "I think it'd be best if I did." He grabbed the back of her neck the way he used to with Mrs. Lovett, only much more forceful, and led her across the loft to Lucy's room. "You see there…" Mr. Todd whispered, indicating to their sleeping daughter.

"Y-Yes…?"

"That is our daughter, Estella Todd… She is one of the only reasons you have to wake up day after day… You are here to feed her, teach her, love her, and provide motherly guidance for her… understand?"

"I already do all those thin-"

"Hush… I still have much more to show you." He then led her into the kitchen in the same manner as before and indicated to the messy table and dry blood on the wall opposite of it. "See there? You are here to clean this mess… I provide the home and you care for it… understand?"

"Yes, but I always-"

"I don't think you've quite gotten it yet," Sweeney said, leading her into the foyer, picking up his pace once more. "What is this here?"

"Our living room…"

"Very good," Mr. Todd said. Estella's mind began to wander, trying to remember if she'd ever heard him talk this much. "And that is…?"

"The piano."

"Correct. This is one of the things I've kindly provided for you for entertainment purposes. I allow you these things so that you may rid yourself of boredom when I'm away and Lucy is out with her friends… I do not provide these things for you so that you may turn to drugs, Estella."

"I don't turn to drugs for that reason-"

"Ah, dear… I still don't quite think you've gotten the point… Come along." He led her into the wash room and indicated toward a tub that was filled with ice cold, forgotten water and several articles of clothing swimming about inside it. "Another thing you are here to do… I do suppose this goes along with caring for the home but you are to clean our clothes…"

"Mr. Todd… I do… please let me go… you're hurting m-"

"Still not quite clear as to where your place is in this world?"

"Please, Sweeney… release me." Her voice was returning to the helpless voice she'd had before. Sweeney liked it. He wanted that control over her… she must know her place.

"This last thing will make it inescapably clear I do believe." Sweeney growled, walking Estella back into their vacant bedroom.

"What am I to do in here?" Estella mumbled, looking up at Mr. Todd angrily.

"Here…" Todd mumbled, throwing her onto the bed, "Is where you please me… and only me." He growled as he held her down and kissed her forcefully.

"No! Please Mr. Todd! Let me go!"

"Know your place!" Sweeney growled, pulling her dress off.

Next he knew, she was lying on the bed next to him, nude and curled into a tiny ball. She sobbed as he released heavy, labored breaths next to her. He turned over to her and tried holding her but she flinched and pulled away. "You're no better than Bennett." She cried, digging her nails into her pale skin, wanting to forget what he'd forced her into. A single tear escaped Sweeney's eye. What had he done? No better than Bennett? That was hardly the problem. He was no better than Turpin. In fact, he was lower than Turpin. He'd raped his own wife. He'd hurt her more than he'd ever done before and he could never take it back. Sweeney thought of all of these things and drowned in his guilt as Estella sobbed herself to sleep.

When he woke in the morning, Estella was laying beside him, running her aching fingers through his black mass of hair. "Good morning Mr. Todd." She beamed, her slightly swollen eyes shining a bit brighter than the previous night.

"Good… morning?" Sweeney replied, questioning himself. Was it all a dream?

Estella was quiet for a moment then she piped, "I've an idea! Why don't I go get washed up in the wash room… then you and I can go into town and get us some groceries for the two of us."

"I still have to go into work today, dear." Sweeney choked, the events that occurred from last night, vividly rushing through his mind.

"Yes, but not until a bit later. Oh please, Mr. Todd… I would really love to get out of the house!"

"Whatever you'd like, darling," Todd replied. He looked at her as she stood and began to limp into the wash room. "Estella."

"Yes, Mr. Todd?"

"About last night…"

"Hush, now… no need bringing up the past, eh?" She smiled then hobbled into the washroom and washed her face. After feeling clean enough, Estella linked arms with Mr. Todd and they walked down the street a little slower than Mr. Todd liked to go but he knew Estella was in pain and allowed her to lag beside him as they meandered into the market.

"Was Lucy still a bed when we left?" Sweeney asked, walking almost in sync with his wife.

"No, sir… she's run off to play with her friend, Tob-"

"Ah, there she is." Sweeney said, looking through a crowd of people and spying his daughter holding hands with a young man who was buying her some grapes.

"Would you like me to go and get her?"

"No… leave 'er be." They went about their business and bought numerous household necessities, linking arms the entire time they shopped about but before Estella and Sweeney could return home with their items, Lucy ignorantly rushed up to her mother and hugged her, still linked with Toby.

"Mother! Father! It's good to see you! Good morning!"

"Good morning, Lucy, dear… I hope you've been good to Toby today. Yeah?"

"Of course, Mother!" Lucy replied, grinning broadly. Her childish smile faded when she noticed the look that Toby and her father were sharing above her. "Toby…?"

"It's you," Toby snarled, gripping Lucy's hand protectively.

"Toby…. It's been too long."

"It has! I've waited for this day for years! Now I'll finally have vengeance!"

Toby pulled out the razor that Mr. Todd had left in the basement all those years ago and held it to Sweeney's throat. Sweeney, unthreatened, didn't move, but the commotion was stopped by Estella who cried out, "Stop!"

"This… this is your wife?"

"Toby…" Lucy whispered quietly. She was ignored.

In one quick movement, Toby slashed Estella's throat, leaving her slowly dying on the ground. "I hope that now you feel the pain I've felt all these years!" He mumbled solemnly. After saying these final words, he walked off with Lucy, leaving Sweeney alive in the streets holding his dear wife. She'd been so good to him… She was so virtuous and he couldn't deal with the pain and anger that came with the death of a spouse again….

Sweeney flashed back into reality, holding his dead wife, Lucy, in his arms. From behind him he could hear Toby sneaking up, wielding the razor that Todd had previously dropped. It had all been a horrendous day dream. A flash forward of what would happen if he turned on Toby and defended himself. He'd never put someone as beautiful as Estella through that. He wouldn't put his daughter through that either. As he sang the final words of his song to Lucy's deaf ears, He tilted his head up, allowing Toby full access to slit his throat. He did and walked out afterwards… and along with Toby's footsteps… the last thing Mr. Todd heard, was the brutal screams of a female rape victim somewhere in town.

THE END!


End file.
